Wringer-position-controlling means



' April 27 1926.

- 1,582,234 A. w. ALTORFER WRINGER POSITION CONTROLLING MEANS Filed April 50, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l n v a i i I v k 1\ IF w M mun Ma i -llll April 27, 1926.

A. w. ALTORFER WRINGER POSITION CONTROLLING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30, 1923 IPIYENIEEQ- x April 27 2 1926. 1,582,234

v v A. W. ALTORFER WRINGER POSITION CONTROLLING MEANS Filed April 30, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NYEKTEJRQ Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENTFOFFICE.

ALFHEUS W. ALTORFER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ALTORFER BROS. (10M- PANY, OF EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WBINGER-POSITION-CQN TROLLIN G MEANS.

Application filed April 30, 1923. Serial No. 635,509.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALPHEUs W. Amon- FER, a citizen of the United States,,and a resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in \Vringer-Position- Controlling Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to wringer position controlling means for .power oper-' ated washing machines.

Practically all power operated washing machines are equipped with power operated wringers, the wringers receiving their power through vertically disposed shafts actuated from the same motive means employed to actuate the washing element or elements. Furthermore such wringers include a frame swingably mounted at the upper end of the vertical shaft to be swung there-about into different positions, for wringing from the washin machine into rinse, or blueing water, and finally into a basket or other receptacle. Some means are provided to lock or hold the wringer frame in different adjusted positions relative to the washing machine. Under ordinary conditions, with the wringer rolls running freely or under light load the torque applied to the vertical shaft will not have a tendency to affect the wringer frame, but when the wringer rolls are under heavy load the resistance will tend to impart the torque of the shaft to the wringer frame, and unless provision is made to hold the frame against swinging movement in the direction of the torque imparted to the frame by the shaft, said frame will have a tendency to turn resulting in possible danger to the attendant. a

My controlling means is aimed to and does obviate this danger, and will automatically lock the wringer frame against movement in the direction' of the torque while permitting a free swinging movement in the opr posite direction. Furthermore, the'locking means is arranged for free manual manipulation, without the use of tools to permit free swinging movement of the wringer frame in either direction, at the will of the attendant, and such looking or adjusting means includes means adapted for free manual manipulation, without the use of tools to lock the wringer frame, when adjusted, against movement in either direction.

The invention further-comprehends a plurality of selective positions to which the wringer frame may be adjusted and held, instead ofonly two or three usual in machines of this character.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a wringer support and wringer frame as will illustrate'the application of my invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation looking in at Figure 1, on the line 2-2;

Figure 3 is a detail section in plan on the line 33 Figure 2;

Figure at is a plan view, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the relation of the wringcr frame to the washing machine, both shown in dotted lines, with certain locking elements removed;

Figure (5 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing how the wringer ported for sn-inging'movement of the locking means;

Figure 7 is a crosssection, in plan, on the line 77 F igure 6, and

and elements Figure 8 1s a cross-section, in plan, on

the line 8-8 Figure 6.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

For convenience the washing machine, only a part of which is shown, is designated 1 and the wringer frame 2. The latter is of the usual construction, including wringer rolls which are operated through clutch controlled gearing, not shown, from a vertical- 1y disposed shaft 3 arranged to be operated from the same motive power employed to operate the washing element or elements of the washing machine.

The frame 2, as is customary in machines of this character, is swingably supported at the upper end of a preferably tubular support, standard or casing 4 secured in an upstanding position on theframe of the machine 1 and in which is j ournaled the shaft 3.

At or near the top of the support 4 and arranged externally thereof, is a flanged member 5 provided with a ratchet-toothed periphery 6, the shoulder of each tooth beframe is sup" ing disposed radially of the support. I show a multiplicity of such teeth so as to provide a plurality of adjustable positions for the wringer frame about the support 4.

The wringer frame 2 is provided with a depending tubular casing or sleeve 7 adapted to fit and have a removable telescopic relation with the'upper end of the support 4, and in which or on which it is'swingable; the shaft 3 passes up therethrough to the reverse gearing for the wringer rolls. To said casing or sleeve is connected a housing 8, formed preferably, by a depending annular flange 9 which embraces and surrounds the ratchet-toothed member 5, when the wringer frame is in position on its support, and

when in such position the housing rests and rotates on the upper end of the support 4. Said housing is further provided with an off-set chambered portion 10, and the flanged wall 9 of said housing is provided with an opening 11 therethrough, of suitable width. \Vithin the chamber 10 of the housings is pivoted an arm 12 having a finger engaging portion 13 which projects through and may have oscillatory movement in the opening 11. Said arm has a tooth 1% adapted to ride over the teeth of the ratchet member 5, as the frame 2 is swung about its support, in one direction, and. to engage the radial faces of such teeth to hold the frame against move ment in the other direction. Y The arm"12 and its tooth 1 1 constitutes a pawl pivoted withinthe housing and having a protruding fingerhold for the free manipulation of said pawl by an attendant, without the use of tools, to release said pawl to permit swinging movement of the wringer frame, in either direction, at the will of the operator. Said pawl is yieldingly held in ratchet tooth engagement, and is returned to such position, when released, by a spring 15, preferably arranged, as shown in Figures 3, 6 and 8. The housing 8 is secured in position on the casing or sleeve 7, by means of a hub 16 embracing said casing or sleeve held by set screws 17 threaded through the wall of said hub and entering openings 18 in the said casing or sleeve.

The parts being arranged and assembled, as shown, the wringer frame may be swung on its support without vertical movement of the housing on the wringer'frame and without vertical movement of the ratchet-toothed member on the support for the wringer frame. And by locating the pawl on the swingable wringer frame in the position shown it will be observed that it always assumes its natural position with said frame as it is swung. ease and convenience of control of the pawl in whatever position the frame maybe in and the attendant is not required to. reach around or over obstructions to'get to the finger-hold 13 in the event' of it being de- 'in combination, a support, a wringer This makes for sirable to use it to release the pawl from' from the shaft and that it is free to be swung in. the opposite direction. Also, that the locking means may be freely manipulated bythe attendant, without the use of tools, to permit swinging movement of the frame in either direction, at the will of the operator. In addition to such an arrangement I have provided a means for locking the wringer Such means comprises a locking pawl 19 pivoted to the finger-hold 13 and located without the housing 8 and having a locking portion 20 swingable into and out of the.

adapted to be swung back, up and out of the way, see Figure 2, as occasion may require.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a power operated swinging wringer, means to automatically lock the wringer frame against movement in one direction while permitting'a. free swinging movement in the other direction; said locking means being arranged to be released by a free manual manipulation in any position of the frame without the use of tools, to permit swinging movement in either direction, and means pivoted on said locking means for locking said frame, when adjusted, against movement in either direction.

2. In a power operated swinging wringer, frame swingable on said support, a ratchet toothed member fixed on sand support having. peripherally arranged radially disposed teeth, a housing connected to said frame and having a depending annular flange overlying and embracing said member and an opening member and yieldingly held in contact with the teeth of said member and having a finframe, after adjustment, in either direction.

ger-hold portion projecting through the opening in said flange.

3. In a power operated swinging wringer,

.in combination, a support, a wringer frame -swmgable on said support, a ratchet toothed member fixed on said support having radially disposed teeth, a housing connected to said frame and having :1 depending annular flange to embrace sald member and an opening in said flange, a pawl pivoted within said housing and yieldingly held in contact with 5 the teeth of said member and having a'fingerhold portion projecting through the opening in said flange and a locking member pivotally connected with said finger-hold movable tov engage with the wall of the opening in said flange. e I 10 In witness whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my hand this 28th day of Apri1,'1923.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFERJ 

